After Karl-Anthony Towns fouled out with 7 minutes, 34 seconds remaining in Minnesota's 109-104 play-in win over the Clippers, he didn't make much of a scene.
He got angry initially, but he was quiet as he headed back to the bench. He shook his head.
He got most of his complaining and crying done over the course of the first five fouls, specifically the fifth, which he picked up in the third quarter. He let out a few choice words for those around the Wolves bench to hear as D'Angelo Russell tried to tell him to, "Let it go."
The Clippers, when fully healthy, had a physical, disciplined defense that stifled Towns in the teams' first three meetings, all Wolves losses. They got him again Tuesday. He exited in the fourth with 11 points on 3-for-11 shooting, his team down seven and so much time left.
The Wolves were going to have to make the playoffs without him. They did.
The Wolves went on a 13-2 run to take a 99-95 lead with 4:02 to play as Anthony Edwards went uncontested for a dunk down the line. Target Center was rocking and everyone in the building believed. With 6.4 seconds remaining the crowd chanted "We want Memphis."
Edwards finished with 30 and Russell had 29 to send Minnesota to the playoffs for just the second time since 2004. They will face Memphis in Game 1 on Saturday.
Paul George had 34 for Los Angeles.
By the end of the night, Towns was smiling, clapping and celebrating along with his teammates.
From the start, the Clippers clamped down on Towns and made his life miserable. They doubled him often and were physical with him before the touch.
He had three fouls and zero points after one, then four fouls and two points after two. Coach Chris Finch said he expected some wrestling matches between Towns and the Clippers' physical frontcourt. Los Angeles kept him pinned to the bench.
During the second quarter, security had to remove a woman who appeared to try to glue herself to the floor during a stoppage in play in protest of one of Wolves and Star Tribune owner Glen Taylor's farms.
After a short delay, the game resumed and the Wolves got back on track despite Towns' absence. Edwards continued his hot shooting with 15 first-half points on 6-for-10. But the Wolves got a lift from Russell when they needed it the most.
They trailed 45-38 when Towns went out with his fourth foul with 3:48 to play.
They were ahead 53-51 at halftime. That's because Russell got going. He scored 14 points in the second quarter on a perfect 5-for-5.
Towns finally got a couple buckets in the third quarter, but his fifth foul wasn't that far away.
He got called for it with 3:47 to play and came back to the bench despondent.
This came as the Clippers started to get going offensively, specifically George, who opened the third quarter 4-for-7 after going 2-for-10 in the first quarter. The Clippers scored 33 in the quarter and took an 84-78 lead into the fourth. George had 15 in the third.
The Wolves have had bigger comebacks in terms of points this season — they were only down as much as 10 — but perhaps none was as impressive given the stakes.
The Wolves led 104-98 on a Russell jumper before Los Angeles cut it to 104-101 on a George 3. But after a Reggie Jackson miss, Edwards took it to the rim and drew contact with 38.5 to go. He made both free throws and the Wolves were on their way.
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